THE BEHEADINNG OF ST. JOHN

 *The Beheading of Saint John the Baptist* 


August 29, 2023.


Tuesday of week 21 in Ordinary Time


First Reading. 1 Thessalonians 2: 1-8

Psalm. 139: 1-3, 4-6 (R.1)

Gospel. Matthew 23: 23-26


TOPIC FOR REFLECTION


 *DO NOT TAKE PLEASURE IN SWEARING, IT HAS CONSEQUENCES* 


Today,  we celebrate the beheading of John the Baptist, a man of justice and truth. He stood and died for the truth he believed.


His yes was yes, and his no was no. 


Meanwhile, on the contrary, in our world today, most of us swear for the fun of it. We often forget the 3rd commandment which states that we should not call the name of the Lord in vain, on the contrary, we not only call His name in vain, we even rub it in the mud, and if we do this, how do we want God to feel?


The most annoying is that we use the name of the Lord for ulterior motives. We use His Holy Name to carry out evil and we are comfortable with it. We do this because most people once they hear the name of God, they trust immediately. It is a curse on the person who uses the name of God to commit evil.  My dear, it is bad. Like Jesus said in today's Gospel, woe to those who do that. I pray that such should not be our portion. 

I pray to God to forgive us because if God should mark our guilt, no one will survive. Most of us are guilty of this at one point or another in our lives.


I suggest we look into the meaning of that strong word Jesus used against the Pharisees today...WOE 

It means GREAT SADNESS, CURSE, CALAMITIES, DISTRESS, TROUBLE, SORROW, PAIN. 


What I want to say now is a personal opinion, at times one may not know if out of carelessness in the past we have incurred such a curse on ourselves, we can repent, and change for good. None of us is perfect.


So, please let us try to avoid as much as we can, such characters and attitudes that will attract WOE into our lives.


On another note, I am strongly convinced that if we see or know anybody who uses our name to perpetrate evil, I know that we will deal with 3, blind guides! You who say, “If a man swears by the Temple, it has no force; but if a man swears by the gold of the Temple, he is bound.” Fools and blind! Which is of greater worth, the gold or the Temple that makes the gold sacred? Or else, “If a man swears by the altar it has no force; but if a man swears by the offering that is on the altar, he is bound.” You blind men! For which is of greater worth, the offering or the altar that makes the offering sacred? Therefore, when a man swears by the altar he is swearing by that and by everything on it. And when a man swears by the Temple he is swearing by that and by the One who dwells in it. And when a man swears by heaven he is swearing by the throne of God and by the One who is seated there.’


In summary, let us not because of the temporary gain of the earth lose the kingdom of God.

Though our environment is much spiritually polluted, let us strive not to be part of an item. May God help us all not to swear for fun, for devil's sake, or worldly temporary goods


Build up yourself such that people will know you for who you are. 


Let your YES be YES, and let your NO be NO.


Those who swear when not necessary are mostly dubious sets of people, and such have questionable characters.


 *PRAYER* 


May our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God our Father, who loved us and gave us eternal comfort and good hope through grace, comfort our hearts and establish them in every good work and word.


 *Peace ✌️ be with you* 


 *Rev. Fr. Segun Oladeji, CRS.* 

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